Joint IMO/ILO Activities

The provision of social protection in the maritime industry is especially challenging as seafarers often work under the laws of a country other than their own. In these circumstances, protection from unfair, hazardous and unhealthy working conditions as well as access to health services and social security protection for seafarers and their families can be especially difficult to implement.

The ILO has approached these difficulties through the adoption of comprehensive maritime labour standards covering a wide range of social protection issues.

As part of the ILO’s cooperation with other United Nations agencies with an interest in the maritime field, namely the International Maritime Organization (IMO), Joint IMO/ILO Ad Hoc Working Groups have been established to address various issues which hold great importance to seafarers. These include the:

• Joint IMO/ILO Ad Hoc Expert Working Group on Liability and Compensation regarding Claims for Death, Personal Injury and Abandonment of Seafarers;
• Joint IMO/ILO Ad Hoc Expert Working Group on the Fair Treatment of Seafarers in the Event of a Maritime Accident; and the
• Joint ILO/IMO Working Group on Medical Examinations of Seafarers and Ships' Medicine Chests.